23 April 2012

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol believes that Man United may have blown their chance of winning the title this year after an 'uncomfortable' defensive display against Everton saw them concede four goals, and throw away what looked like a certain victory.

Summarising the game on ESPN, Nicol criticised Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick for not doing a good enough job defensively in midfield, and added:

"To be 3-1 and 4-2 up and not see the game out is criminal, and it's down to defence.

"Defences win titles, and when you lose 4 goals at home, you don't deserve to win the title.

"They [United] have looked pretty uncomfortable defensively in the last two or three games, particularly the Wigan game, and against Everton, they were totally uncomfortable".

Let's hope that this is the start of a wobble for Alex Ferguson's team, which leads inexorably to them throwing the title away. As much as I despise Man City, I would much rather see them win the title than United, and I'm sure lots of Liverpool fans feel the same.

As much as it pains me to admit it though, the table doesn't lie, and United deserve to be on top, which is especially galling considering the current team is not one of Ferguson's best.

nicol should share the same view when looking at liverpool and daglish although im a liverpool fan I am growing tired of seeing ex liverpool players blindly back daglish he needs to go regradless of a cup double or not

Sad little scousers. This is like the 2nd article in as many days from this site crying about United. Abit sad dont you think, considering you've finished below United every season for a very long time.

This Man Utd team has not been good enough to win the league for some time but the generousity of others, and Man City's ability to shoot themselves in the foot, has given them a chance. That it took them to blow a comfortable lead against Everton to prove it, shows how bad this team is. I hope that City will put them in their place, but I think that their games are still harder than Man Utd's and, even if they beat Man Utd, getting something from Newcastle will be a big ask.

The ref will decide the outcome of the Manc derby and as 90% are on backhanders from Fergie City are going to have to work hard, it's bad enough playing 11 lying cheating diving bar stewards but throw in a dodgy ref and you have your work cut out.

The end of the Premier league season is such an anti-climax. Why at the end of the season is there no final series playoff where the top 5 play it out? For example, one gets a reward for finishing the top of the table after a whole season but then there is a final series of the top five to determine who is best at the end of the season. Anyone got any idea why this does not happen traditionally?

Seriously though, I wouldn't object to 2nd to 5th playing off for a final champions league place. Only then can you realistically call it a "Champions" league: either winning league or the playoffs. Having 4 teams qualifying makes a mockery of the tournament IMO.

i want citeh to win the league just to see taggarts gum chewing reaction. i want to see if he can create a world record for the amount of anger chewing, in one minute at the final whistle. that old drinks cabinet will take a hell of a beating too, the blotchy faced f*cker.

Manure may not have the best players, but Fergie did have the best tactics for this season. Their style of chance creation is so high percentage it's hard for them not to score. The way they commit players forward is remarkable. That is perhaps what AVB wanted to accomplish at Chelsea, but failed miserably because his players were more accustomed to a continental style.

Manure's wide players do not cross until they have 3 players in spaces in positions to score. This normally leaves keepers with no chance - unless you're Joe Hart or Iker Casillas. They keep the ball moving in and out of the final third until there is space to shoot/cross.

By contrast, Rafa/Mancini/Mourinho loved to send the ball all the way back before changing the ball direction. They all loved speedy, mobile forwards and the idea was definitely to pull the other team out and hit them on the counter. This is never going to work against teams that park the bus - especially when you have a superior team by far and they know it.

Taggart's boys played the smartest football of the season. When you play at that level, you don't have to be very good, you just get the job done.

tbh, I want Man U to win the title rather than see Mancini be rewarded as if he really is a good manager. Ferguson has his team overachieving with a squad arguably no better than the rest of the top 4, whereas Mancini wants to make excuses (again) while having easily the best squad in the league.

And I don't care if that puts Man U further ahead of Liverpool in the trophy race. Maybe LFC will be motivated to finally pull its finger out and target the title, instead of 4th place and calling on history in an effort to compare against Man U.

Jamie your two last paragraphs contradict one another.One can summarily conclude that truly you are a ManU fan who is disguising in our website.Many of us have the believe you are being paid by Ferg16 to cause havoc in our club

You must surely realise how ridiculous that sounds, right? I'm paid by Ferguson to cause 'havoc' for LFC? That really is a childish view, and if you genuinely believe that, I would urge you to seek immediate help.

Agreed, they have managed to get a poor team challenging when it has no right to. This must be the worst Premier League season ever.

Just can't bring myself to want them to win the title, though, even if i would have to accept that they might deserve it. If City do the double over them, it would be a bit much for them to win the title as well.

I think Manu MIGHT have blown it already, i can see City beating them at the Etihad on monday tbh and going top.

If you ask me who has been playing the best football this season i would say the table reflects the form... BUT at times (esp earlier on in the season) Man City looked a cut above anyone else, Manu are IMO living off their reputation to a certain degree, the squad is not as strong as it used to be, Scholes is old, for sure and had to come out of retirement to help them out....Why? Because they havn't replaced him......Giggs, again is old....they're just not as strong as they used to be, undeniably they could still go onto win it, but lets see how they get on against City first....

At least it makes for an interesting finish to the season and IF they do win that one then they will deserve to win the title.

im a true man u fan and im just reading all these posts and laughing my ass off... u guys spew hatred at the best manager of all time couching the most successful team of all time. And where are you guys at? making the worst buys, playing the ugliest football... truly laughable displays week after week, fighting for a top ten spot. Truly pathetic, stop resting on the past too that shit is old and your petigree

6 titles 3 European cups in 9 years , what would he have achieved in 25 ? Fair play to purple nose , but BOB PAISLEY'S REDS were the best team in Europe for at least 5 of them 9 years , don't think any of purple nose's teams have ever been considered the best team in Europe , have they ? So as bad as we are now , Man Utd have never ever been as good as we were then FACT